Spiral bipolar electrode renal denervation balloon

ABSTRACT

A renal nerve ablation device may include an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable member may be coupled to the distal region. One or more active electrodes may be coupled to the expandable member. One or more ground electrodes may be coupled to the expandable member. The one or more active electrodes and/or the one or more ground electrodes may be oriented helically about the length of the expandable member.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/856,523, filed Jul. 19, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure pertains to medical devices, and methods for using and manufacturing medical devices. More particularly, the present disclosure pertains to medical devices for renal nerve ablation.

BACKGROUND

A wide variety of intracorporeal medical devices have been developed for medical use, for example, intravascular use. Some of these devices include guidewires, catheters, and the like. These devices are manufactured by any one of a variety of different manufacturing methods and may be used according to any one of a variety of methods. Of the known medical devices and methods, each has certain advantages and disadvantages. There is an ongoing need to provide alternative medical devices as well as alternative methods for manufacturing and using medical devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A renal nerve ablation device may include an elongate tubular member having a distal region, an expandable member coupled to the distal region, the expandable member having a length, one or more active electrodes coupled to the expandable member, one or more ground electrodes coupled to the expandable member adjacent to the one or more active electrodes, and one or more temperature sensors disposed on an outer surface of the expandable member adjacent the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes, wherein the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes are oriented helically about the expandable member.

A renal nerve ablation device may include an elongate tubular member having a distal region, an expandable balloon coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length, a plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes coupled to the balloon, a plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes coupled to the balloon, and a plurality of temperature sensors disposed on an outer surface of the balloon between the plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes and the plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes.

A renal nerve ablation device may include an elongate tubular member having a distal region, an expandable balloon coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length, and a flexible polymer strip coupled to the balloon, wherein the flexible polymer strip includes a helically-oriented active electrode on a surface of the flexible polymer strip facing away from the balloon, a helically-oriented ground electrode disposed adjacent the active electrode on the surface of the flexible polymer strip facing away from the balloon, and a temperature sensor between the helically-oriented active electrode and the helically-oriented ground electrode, the temperature sensor on a surface of the flexible polymer strip facing toward the balloon.

A method for ablating renal nerves may include the steps of:

providing a renal nerve ablation device, the renal nerve ablation device comprising an elongate tubular member having a distal region, an expandable member coupled to the distal region, the expandable member having a length, one or more active electrodes coupled to the expandable member, one or more ground electrodes coupled to the expandable member adjacent to the one or more active electrodes, and one or more temperature sensors disposed on an outer surface of the expandable member adjacent the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes, wherein the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes are oriented helically about the expandable member;

advancing the renal nerve ablation device through a blood vessel to a position within a renal artery;

expanding the expandable member; and

activating at least one of the one or more active electrodes.

The above summary of some embodiments is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure. The Figures, and Detailed Description, which follow, more particularly exemplify these embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example renal nerve ablation device;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example expandable member of a renal nerve ablation device;

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the expandable member of FIG. 2 in an unrolled or flat configuration;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a portion of an example electrode assembly;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view A-A of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view B-B of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a partial side view of an example expandable member;

FIG. 8 is a partial side view of an example expandable member;

FIG. 9 is a partial side view of an example expandable member; and

FIG. 10 is a partial side view of an example expandable member.

While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description should be read with reference to the drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views. The detailed description and drawings are intended to illustrate but not limit the claimed invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various elements described and/or shown may be arranged in various combinations and configurations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The detailed description and drawings illustrate example embodiments of the claimed invention.

For the following defined terms, these definitions shall be applied, unless a different definition is given in the claims or elsewhere in this specification.

All numeric values are herein assumed to be modified by the term “about,” whether or not explicitly indicated. The term “about”, in the context of numeric values, generally refers to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances, the term “about” may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure. Other uses of the term “about” (i.e., in a context other than numeric values) may be assumed to have their ordinary and customary definition(s), as understood from and consistent with the context of the specification, unless otherwise specified.

The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers within that range, including the endpoints (e.g. 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

It is noted that references in the specification to “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “other embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it would be within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described, unless clearly stated to the contrary. That is, the various individual elements described below, even if not explicitly shown in a particular combination, are nevertheless contemplated as being combinable or arrangable with each other to form other additional embodiments or to complement and/or enrich the described embodiment(s), as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

Certain treatments are aimed at the temporary or permanent interruption or modification of select nerve function. One example treatment is renal nerve ablation, which is sometimes used to treat conditions such as or related to hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes, or other conditions impacted by high blood pressure or salt retention. The kidneys produce a sympathetic response, which may increase the undesired retention of water and/or sodium. The result of the sympathetic response, for example, may be an increase in blood pressure. Ablating some of the nerves running to the kidneys (e.g., disposed adjacent to or otherwise along the renal arteries) may reduce or eliminate this sympathetic response, which may provide a corresponding reduction in the associated undesired symptoms (e.g., a reduction in blood pressure).

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a power generating and control apparatus, often for the treatment of targeted tissue in order to achieve a therapeutic effect. In some embodiments, the target tissue is tissue containing or proximate to nerves, including renal arteries and associated renal nerves. In other embodiments the target tissue is luminal tissue, which may further comprise diseased tissue such as that found in arterial disease.

In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the ability to deliver energy in a targeted dosage may be used for nerve tissue in order to achieve beneficial biologic responses. For example, chronic pain, urologic dysfunction, hypertension, and a wide variety of other persistent conditions are known to be affected through the operation of nervous tissue. For example, it is known that chronic hypertension that may not be responsive to medication may be improved or eliminated by disabling excessive nerve activity proximate to the renal arteries. Therefore it may be possible to beneficially affect excessive nerve activity by disrupting the conductive pathway of the nervous tissue. When disrupting nerve conductive pathways, it is particularly advantageous to avoid damage to neighboring nerves or organ tissue. The ability to direct and control energy dosage is well-suited to the treatment of nerve tissue. Whether in a heating or ablating energy dosage, the precise control of energy delivery as described and disclosed herein may be directed to the nerve tissue. Moreover, directed application of energy may suffice to target a nerve without the need to be in exact contact, as would be required when using a typical ablation probe. For example, eccentric heating may be applied at a temperature high enough to denature nerve tissue without causing ablation and without requiring the piercing of luminal tissue. However, it may also be desirable to configure the energy delivery surface of the present disclosure to pierce tissue and deliver ablating energy similar to an ablation probe with the exact energy dosage being controlled by a power control and generation apparatus.

In some embodiments, efficacy of the denervation treatment can be assessed by measurement before, during, and/or after the treatment to tailor one or more parameters of the treatment to the particular patient or to identify the need for additional treatments. For instance, a denervation system may include functionality for assessing whether a treatment has caused or is causing a reduction in neural activity in a target or proximate tissue, which may provide feedback for adjusting parameters of the treatment or indicate the necessity for additional treatments.

While the devices and methods described herein are discussed relative to renal nerve ablation and/or modulation, it is contemplated that the devices and methods may be used in other treatment locations and/or applications where nerve modulation and/or other tissue modulation including heating, activation, blocking, disrupting, or ablation are desired, such as, but not limited to: blood vessels, urinary vessels, or in other tissues via trocar and cannula access. For example, the devices and methods described herein can be applied to hyperplastic tissue ablation, cardiac ablation, pulmonary vein isolation, pulmonary vein ablation, tumor ablation, benign prostatic hyperplasia therapy, nerve excitation or blocking or ablation, modulation of muscle activity, hyperthermia or other warming of tissues, etc.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example renal nerve ablation system 100. System 100 may include a renal nerve ablation device 120. Renal nerve ablation device 120 may be used to ablate nerves (e.g., renal nerves) disposed adjacent to the kidney K (e.g., renal nerves disposed about a renal artery RA). In use, renal nerve ablation device 120 may be advanced through a blood vessel such as the aorta A to a position within the renal artery RA. This may include advancing renal nerve ablation device 120 through a guide sheath or catheter 14. When positioned as desired, renal nerve ablation device 120 may be activated to activate one or more electrodes (not shown). This may include operatively coupling renal nerve ablation device 120 to a control unit 110, which may include an RF generator, so as to supply the desired activation energy to the electrodes. For example, renal nerve ablation device 120 may include a wire or conductive member 18 with a connector 20 that can be connected to a connector 22 on the control unit 110 and/or a wire 24 coupled to the control unit 110. In at least some embodiments, the control unit 110 may also be utilized to supply/receive the appropriate electrical energy and/or signal to activate one or more sensors disposed at or near a distal end of renal nerve ablation device 120. When suitably activated, the electrodes may be capable of ablating tissue (e.g., renal nerves) as described below and the sensors may be used to detect desired physical and/or biological parameters.

An exemplary control unit 110 and associated energy delivery methods useable with the embodiments disclosed herein are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0095461 entitled “Power Generating and Control Apparatus for the Treatment of Tissue”, the full disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Further examples useable with the embodiments disclosed herein are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,742,795 entitled “Tuned RF Energy for Selective Treatment of Atheroma and Other Target Tissues and/or Structures”, U.S. Pat. No. 7,291,146 entitled “Selectable Eccentric Remodeling and/or Ablation of Atherosclerotic Material”, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0188912 entitled “System for Inducing Desirable Temperature Effects on Body Tissue”, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments, particularly in some embodiments utilizing monopolar energy delivery, the system 100 may also include a ground/common electrode (not shown), which may be associated with the ablation device 120. The ground/common electrode may be a separate pad that is electrically or otherwise operatively coupled to the control unit 110, or otherwise associated with the system 100.

In some embodiments, the control unit 110 may include a processor or otherwise be coupled to a processor to control or record treatment. The processor may typically comprise computer hardware and/or software, often including one or more programmable processor units running machine-readable program instructions or code for implementing some, or all, of one or more of the embodiments and methods described herein. The code may often be embodied in a tangible media such as a memory (optionally a read-only memory, a random access memory, a non-volatile memory, or the like) and/or a recording media (such as a floppy disk, a hard drive, a CD, a DVD, or other optical media, a non-volatile solid-state memory card, or the like). The code and/or associated data and signals may also be transmitted to or from the processor via a network connection (such as a wireless network, an ethernet, an internet, an intranet, or the like), and some or all of the code may also be transmitted between components of a renal nerve ablation system and within the processor via one or more buses, and appropriate standard or proprietary communications cards, connectors, cables, and the like may often be included in the processor. The processor may often be configured to perform the calculations and signal transmission steps described herein at least in part by programming the processor with the software code, which may be written as a single program, a series of separate subroutines or related programs, or the like. The processor may comprise standard or proprietary digital and/or analog signal processing hardware, software, and/or firmware, and may desirably have sufficient processing power to perform the calculations described herein during treatment of the patient, the processor may optionally comprise a personal computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a proprietary processing unit, or a combination thereof. Standard or proprietary input devices (such as a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, joystick, etc.) and output devices (such as a printer, speakers, display, etc.) associated with modern computer systems may also be included, and processors having a plurality of processing units (or even separate computers) may be employed in a wide range of centralized or distributed data processing architectures.

In some embodiments, control software for the system 100 may use a client-server scheme to further enhance system ease of use, flexibility, and reliability. “Clients” may be the system control logic; “servers” may be the control hardware. A communications manager may deliver changes in system conditions to subscribing clients and servers. Clients may “know” what the present system condition is, and what command or decision to perform based on a specific change in condition. Servers may perform the system function based on client commands. Because the communications manager may be a centralized information manager, new system hardware may not require changes to prior existing client-server relationships; new system hardware and its related control logic may then merely become an additional “subscriber” to information managed through the communications manager. This control schema may provide the benefit of having a robust central operating program with base routines that are fixed; no change to base routines may be necessary in order to operate new circuit components designed to operate with the system.

In some embodiments, the renal nerve ablation device 120 may include an elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122. In some embodiments, the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122 may be configured to be slidingly advanced over a guidewire or other elongate medical device to a target site. In some embodiments, the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122 may be configured to be slidingly advanced within a guide sheath or catheter 14 to a target site. In some embodiments, the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122 may be configured to be advanced to a target site over a guidewire, within a guide sheath or catheter 14, or a combination thereof.

An expandable member 130 may be disposed at, on, about, or near a distal end of the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122. In some embodiments, the expandable member 130 may be fixedly attached to the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122. In some embodiments, the expandable member 130 may be self-expanding from a collapsed delivery state to an expanded state, such as a basket, a swellable foam or other material, or a plurality of struts, for example. In some embodiments, the expandable member 130 may be selectively expanded from a collapsed delivery state to an expanded state, such as a compliant, non-compliant, or semi-compliant balloon, for example. In some embodiments, one or more electrodes may be disposed on, disposed about, or coupled to an outer surface of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the one or more electrodes may be operatively and/or electrically connected to the control unit 110 and/or the RF generator. In some embodiments, the one or more electrodes may include a plurality of electrode assemblies. In some embodiments, one or more of the plurality of electrode assemblies may be configured to be monopolar or bipolar, and may further include a temperature sensor, for example, a thermistor or thermocouple.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the electrode assemblies may be arranged on the expandable member 130, shown here in an expanded state, according to a plurality of generally cylindrical treatment zones A-D. In other embodiments, the expandable member 130 or other components of the treatment system may include additional electrode assemblies that are not in a treatment zone or are otherwise not used or configured to deliver a treatment energy.

The treatment zones A-D and associated electrode assemblies 140 a-d are further illustrated in FIG. 3, which is an “unrolled” depiction of a portion of the expandable member 130 of FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the expandable member may be a balloon with a 4 mm diameter and two electrode assemblies 140 a-b. In other embodiments, the expandable member may be a balloon with a 5 mm diameter and three electrode assemblies 140 a-c. In some embodiments, the expandable member may be a balloon with a 6, 7, or 8 mm diameter and four electrode assemblies 140 a-d, as depicted in FIG. 2. For any of these configurations, the expandable member may have a working length of about 10 mm to about 100 mm, or about 18 mm to about 25 mm, which may be the approximate longitudinal span of all the treatment zones A-D shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The electrode assemblies 140 a-d may be attached to a balloon using adhesive, or other suitable means.

Returning to FIG. 2, the treatment zones A-D may be longitudinally adjacent to one another along longitudinal axis L-L, and may be configured such that energy applied by the electrode assemblies create treatments that do not overlap. Treatments applied by the longitudinally adjacent bipolar electrode assemblies 140 a-d may be circumferentially non-continuous along longitudinal axis L-L. For example, with reference to FIG. 3, lesions created in treatment zone A may in some embodiments minimize overlap about a circumference (laterally with respect to L-L in this view) with lesions created in treatment zone B. In other embodiments, however, the energy applied by the electrode assemblies, such as the electrode assemblies shown in FIG. 3, may overlap, longitudinally, circumferentially, and/or in other ways, to at least some extent.

Whether or not treatment zones between electrodes/electrode pairs will overlap may be influenced by a wide variety of factors, including, but not limited to, electrode geometry, electrode placement density, electrode positioning, ground/common electrode(s) placement and geometry (in monopolar embodiments), energy generator output settings, output voltage, output power, duty cycle, output frequency, tissue characteristics, tissue type, etc. In some embodiments, individual electrodes of a bipolar electrode pair may each define its own treatment zone, and such treatment zones may partially or entirely overlap. In some embodiments, the overlap of treatment zones may extend substantially continuously around a circumference of the expandable member and/or around a circumference in a tissue surrounding a body passageway. In other embodiments, there may be overlap in treatment zones, however, that overlap may not be substantially continuous around a circumference and significant discontinuities in the treatment zones may be present.

Returning to FIG. 3, each electrode pad assembly may include four major elements, which are a distal electrode pad 150 a-d, intermediate tail 160 a-d, proximal electrode pad 170 a-d, and proximal tail 180 b,d (not shown for electrode pad assemblies 140 a and 140 c). Constructional details of the electrode assemblies 140 a-d are shown and described with reference to FIGS. 4-6.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of electrode assembly 200, which is identified in FIG. 3 as electrode assembly 140. The electrode assembly 200 may be constructed as a flexible circuit having a plurality of layers. Such layers may be continuous or non-contiguous, i.e., made up of discrete portions. Shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a base layer 202 of insulation may provide a foundation for the electrode assembly 200. The base layer 202 may be constructed from a flexible polymer such as polyimide, although other materials are contemplated. In some embodiments, the base layer 202 may be from about 0.005 mm thick to about 0.04 mm thick. In some embodiments, the base layer 202 may be approximately 0.5 mil (0.0127 mm) thick. A conductive layer 204 made up of a plurality of discrete traces may be layered on top of the base layer 202. The conductive layer 204 may be, for example, a layer of electrodeposited copper. Other materials are also contemplated. In some embodiments, the conductive layer 204 may be from about 0.005 mm thick to about 0.04 mm thick. In some embodiments, the conductive layer 204 may be approximately 0.5 mil (0.0127 mm) thick. An insulating layer 206 may be discretely or continuously layered on top of the conductive layer 204, such that the conductive layer 204 may be fluidly sealed between the base layer 202 and the insulating layer 206. Like the base layer 202, the insulating layer 206 may be constructed from a flexible polymer such as polyimide, although other materials are contemplated. In some embodiments, the insulating layer 206 may be from about 0.005 mm thick to about 0.04 mm thick. In some embodiments, the insulating layer 206 may be approximately 0.5 mil (0.0127 mm) thick. In other embodiments, the insulating layer 206 may be a complete or partial polymer coating, such as PTFE or silicone. Other materials are also contemplated.

The electrode assembly 200 shown in FIG. 4 may include a distal electrode pad 208. In this region, the base layer 202 may form a rectangular shape. This is not intended to be limiting. Other shapes are contemplated. As shown, the electrode assembly 200 may include a plurality of openings to provide for added flexibility, and the pads and other portions of the assemblies may include rounded or curved corners, transitions and other portions. In some instances, the openings and rounded/curved features may enhance the assembly's resistance to delamination from its expandable device, as may occur, in some instances, when the expandable device is repeatedly expanded and collapsed (which may also entail deployment from and withdrawal into a protective sheath), such as may be needed when multiple sites are treated during a procedure.

The distal electrode pad 208 may include a plurality of discrete traces layered on top of the base layer 202. These traces may include a ground trace 210, an active electrode trace 212, and a sensor trace 214. The ground trace 210 may include an elongated electrode support 216 laterally offset from a sensor ground pad 218. The sensor ground pad 218 may be electrically coupled to the elongated support 216 of the ground trace 210 and may be centrally located on the distal electrode pad 208. A bridge 220 may connect a distal most portion of the sensor ground pad 218 to a distal portion of the elongated electrode support 216 of the ground trace 210. The bridge 220 may taper down in width as it travels to the sensor ground pad 218. In some embodiments, the bridge 220 may have a relatively uniform and thin width to enable a desired amount of flexibility. The elongated electrode support 216 may taper down in width at its proximal end, however, this is not required. In some embodiments, the elongated electrode support 216 may abruptly transition to a much thinner trace at its proximal portion, to enable a desired amount of flexibility. Generally, the curvature of the traces where necking is shown may be optimized to reduce balloon recapture forces and the potential for any snagging that sharper contours may present. The shape and position of the traces may also be optimized to provide dimensional stability to the electrode assembly 200 as a whole, so as to prevent distortion during deployment and use.

The ground trace 210 and active electrode trace 212 of FIG. 4 may share a similar construction. The active electrode trace 212 may also include an elongated electrode support 216.

FIG. 5 shows a partial cross-section A-A of the distal electrode pad 208. An electrode 222 is shown layered over a portion of the insulating layer 206, which may have a plurality of passages (e.g., holes) to enable the electrode 222 to couple to the elongated electrode support 216 of the ground trace 210 (of conductive layer 204).

As shown in FIG. 4, the ground electrode trace 210 and active electrode trace 212 may include a plurality of electrodes. Three electrodes 222 may be provided for each electrode trace, however, more or less may be used. Additionally, each electrode 222 may have radiused corners to reduce tendency to snag on other devices and/or tissue. Although the above description of the electrodes 222 and the traces associated with them has been described in the context of a bi-polar electrode assembly, those of skill in the art will recognize that the same electrode assembly may function in a monopolar mode as well. For instance, as one non-limiting example, the electrodes associated with active electrode traces 212 and 242 may be used as monopolar electrodes, with ground trace 210 disconnected during energization of those electrodes.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 4 for example, each electrode 222 may be approximately 1.14 mm by 0.38 mm, with approximately 0.31 mm gaps lying between the electrodes 222. The electrodes 222 of the ground trace 210 and active electrode trace 212 may be laterally spaced by approximately 1.85 mm. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5 for example, the electrodes 222 may be gold pads approximately 0.038 mm thick from the conductive layer 204 and that may protrude about 0.025 mm above the insulating layer 206. Without limiting the use of other such suitable materials, gold may be a good electrode material because it is very biocompatible, radiopaque, and electrically and thermally conductive. In other embodiments, the electrode thickness of the conductive layer 204 may range from about 0.030 mm to about 0.051 mm. At such thicknesses, relative stiffness of the electrodes 222, as compared to, for example, the copper conductive layer 204, may be high. Because of this, using a plurality of electrodes, as opposed to a single electrode, may increase flexibility. In other embodiments, the electrodes may be as small as about 0.5 mm by about 0.2 mm or as large as about 2.2 mm by about 0.6 mm for electrode 222.

While it may be an important design optimization consideration to balance the thickness of the gold above the insulating layer 206 so as to achieve good flexibility while maintaining sufficient height so as to provide good tissue contact, this may be counterbalanced with the goal of avoiding a surface height that may snag during deployment or collapse of the balloon. These issues may vary according to other elements of a particular procedure, such as balloon pressure. For many embodiments, it has been determined that electrodes that protrude approximately 0.025 mm above the insulating layer 206 will have good tissue contact at balloon inflation pressures below 10 atm and as low as 0.5 atm. These pressures may be well below the typical inflation pressure of an angioplasty balloon.

The sensor trace 214 may be centrally located on the distal electrode pad 208 and may include a sensor power pad 224 facing the sensor ground pad 218. These pads may connect to power and ground poles of a temperature sensor 226, such as a thermocouple (for example, Type T configuration: Copper/Constantan) or thermistor, as shown in the partial cross-section depicted in FIG. 6.

The temperature sensor 226 may be proximately connected to the sensor power pad 224 and may be distally connected to the sensor ground pad 218. To help reduce overall thickness, the temperature sensor 226 may be positioned within an opening within the base layer 202. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor 226 may be a thermistor having a thickness of about 0.1 mm, which is unusually thin—approximately two-thirds of industry standard. As shown, the temperature sensor 226 may be on a non-tissue contacting side of the distal electrode pad 208. Accordingly, the temperature sensor 226 may be captured between the electrode structure and a balloon when incorporated into a final device, such as catheter 120. This may be advantageous since surface-mounted electrical components, like thermistors, typically have sharp edges and corners, which may get caught on tissue and possibly cause problems in balloon deployment and/or retraction. This arrangement may also keep soldered connections from making contact with blood, since solder is typically non-biocompatible. Further, due to the placement of the temperature sensor, it may measure temperature representative of tissue and the electrodes 222.

From the distal electrode pad 208, the combined base layer 202, conductive layer 204, and insulating layer 206 may reduce in lateral width to an intermediate tail 228. Here, the conductive layer 204 may be formed to include an intermediate ground line 230, intermediate active electrode line 232, and intermediate sensor line 234, which may be respectively coextensive traces of the ground trace 210, active electrode trace 212, and sensor trace 214 of the distal electrode pad 208.

From the intermediate tail 228, the combined base layer 202, conductive layer 204, and insulating layer 206 may increase in lateral width to form a proximal electrode pad 236. The proximal electrode pad 236 may be constructed similarly to the distal electrode pad 208, with the electrode geometry and temperature sensor arrangement being essentially identical, although various differences may be present. However, as shown, the proximal electrode pad 236 may be laterally offset from the distal electrode pad 208 with respect to a central axis G-G extending along the intermediate ground line 230. The intermediate active electrode line 232 and intermediate sensor line 234 may be laterally coextensive with the proximal electrode pad 236 on parallel respective axes with respect to central axis G-G.

From the proximal electrode pad 236, the combined base layer 202, conductive layer 204, and insulating layer 206 may reduce in lateral width to form a proximal tail 238. The proximal tail 238 may include a proximal ground line 240, proximal active electrode line 242, and proximal sensor line 244, as well the intermediate active electrode line 232 and intermediate sensor line 234. The proximal tail 238 may include connectors (not shown) to enable coupling to one or more sub-wiring harnesses and/or connectors and ultimately to control unit 110. Each of these lines may be extended along parallel respective axes with respect to central axis G-G.

As shown, the electrode assembly 200 may have an asymmetric arrangement of the distal electrode pad 208 and proximal electrode pad 236, about axis G-G. Further, the ground electrodes of both electrode pads may be substantially aligned along axis G-G, along with the intermediate and proximal ground lines 230/240. It has been found that this arrangement may present certain advantages. For example, by essentially sharing the same ground trace, the width of the proximal tail may be only about one and a half times that of the intermediate tail 228, rather than being approximately twice as wide if each electrode pad had independent ground lines. Thus, the proximal tail 238 may be narrower than two of the intermediate tails 228.

Further, arranging the electrode pads to share a ground trace may allow control of which electrodes will interact with each other. This may not be immediately apparent when viewing a single electrode assembly, but may become evident when more than one electrode assembly 200 is assembled onto an expandable member, such as a balloon, for example as shown in FIGS. 2-3. The various electrode pads may be fired and controlled using solid state relays and multiplexing with a firing time ranging from about 100 microseconds to about 200 milliseconds or about 10 milliseconds to about 50 milliseconds. For practical purposes, the electrode pads may appear to be simultaneously firing yet stray current between adjacent electrode pads of different electrode assemblies 200 may be prevented by rapid firing of electrodes in micro bursts. This may be performed such that adjacent electrode pads of different electrode pad assemblies 200 are fired out of phase with one another. Thus, the electrode pad arrangement of the electrode assembly may allow for short treatment times—about 10 minutes or less of total electrode firing time, with some approximate treatment times being as short as about 10 seconds, with an exemplary embodiment being about 30 seconds. Some benefits of short treatment times may include minimization of operative and post-operative pain caused when nerve tissue is subjected to energy treatment, shortened vessel occlusion times, reduced occlusion side effects, and quick cooling of collateral tissues by blood perfusion due to relatively minor heat input to luminal tissue.

In some embodiments, the common ground may typically carry 200 VAC at 500 kHz coming from the negative electrode pole, and a 1V signal from the temperature sensor 226 (in the case of a thermistor) that may require filtering of the RF circuit such that the thermistor signal may be sensed and used for generator control. In some embodiments, because of the common ground, the thermistor of the adjacent electrode pair may be used to monitor temperature even without firing the adjacent electrode pair. This may provide the possibility of sensing temperatures proximate to both the distal electrode pad 208 and the proximal electrode pad 236, while firing only one of them.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the electrode pad arrangement of each electrode assembly 140 a-d may also enable efficient placement on the expandable member 130. As shown, the electrode assemblies 140 a-d may “key” into one another to enable maximum use of the expandable member surface area. This may be accomplished in part by spacing the electrode pads apart by setting the longitudinal length of each intermediate tail. For example, the intermediate tail length electrode assembly 140 a may be set to a distance that separates its distal and proximal electrode pads 150 a, 170 a such that the laterally adjacent proximal electrode pad 170 b of the laterally adjacent electrode assembly 140 b keys next to the intermediate tail 160 a of electrode assembly 140 a. Further, the distal electrode pad 150 a of electrode assembly 140 a may be keyed between the intermediate tail 160 b of electrode assembly 140 b and the intermediate tail 160 d of electrode assembly 140 d. Thus, the length of each intermediate tail 160 a-d may also require each electrode pad of any one electrode assembly to be located in non-adjacent treatment zones.

Expandable member or balloon surface area maximization may also be enabled in part by laterally offsetting both electrode pads of each electrode assembly 140 a-d. For example, the rightwards lateral offset of each distal electrode pad 150 a-d and the leftwards lateral offset of the proximal electrode pad 170 a-d allow adjacent electrode pad assemblies to key into one another such that some of the electrode pads may laterally overlap one another. For example, the distal electrode pad 150 a of electrode assembly 140 a may laterally overlap with proximal electrode pad 170 b of electrode assembly 140 b. Further, the distal electrode pad 150 b of electrode assembly 140 b may laterally overlap with the proximal electrode pad 170 c of electrode assembly 140 c. However, the length of each intermediate tail may prevent circumferential overlap (longitudinal overlap in this view) of the electrode pads, thus maintaining the non-contiguous nature of the treatment zones in the longitudinal direction L-L.

The arrangement and geometry of the electrode pads, as well as the arrangement and geometry of the tails of the flexible circuits may also facilitate folding or otherwise collapsing the balloon into a relatively compact un-expanded state. For instance, in embodiments with an expanded diameter of up to about 10 mm, the device in an un-expanded state may have as low as an about 1 mm diameter.

Some embodiments may utilize a standard electrode assembly having identical dimensions and construction, wherein the number and relative position of electrode assemblies on an outer surface of an expandable member or a balloon becomes a function of the expandable member or balloon diameter and/or length while electrode assembly geometries remain unchanged amongst various expandable member or balloon sizes. The relative positioning of electrode assemblies relative to the expandable member or balloon diameter and/or length may then be determined by the desired degree or avoidance of circumferential and/or axial overlap of adjacent electrode pads of neighboring electrode assemblies on an expandable member or a balloon of a given size. In other embodiments, however, all of the electrode assemblies on the expandable member or balloon may not necessarily be identical.

The system 100 may be used to perform a method of treatment in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the disclosure. For example, the control unit 110 may be operationally coupled to the ablation device 120, which may be inserted into a body passageway such that an expandable member 130 (having a plurality of electrode assemblies) may be placed adjacent to a first section of the body passageway where therapy is required. Placement of the ablation device 120 at the first section of the body passageway where therapy is required may be performed according to conventional methods, e.g., over a guidewire under fluoroscopic guidance. Once inserted, the expandable member 130 may be made to expand from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded configuration, for example by pressurizing fluid from about 2-10 atm in the case of a balloon. This may cause the electrodes and/or electrode assemblies of the expandable member 130 to come into contact with the first section of the body passageway.

In some embodiments, the control unit 110 may measure impedance at the electrode assemblies to confirm apposition of the electrodes with the body passageway. In at least some of these embodiments, the treatment may proceed even if apposition is not sensed for all of the electrodes. For instance, in some embodiments, the treatment may proceed if apposition is sensed for 50% or more of the electrodes, and may allow for less than complete uniformity of apposition circumferentially and/or axially. For example, in some instances the catheter may be positioned such that one or more of the proximal electrodes are in the aorta A and exposed to blood, and impedance sensed for such electrodes may not fall within a pre-designated range (such as, for example, 500-1600 ohms), indicating an absence of tissue apposition for those electrodes. In some instances, the system may allow for user authorization to proceed with the treatment even if there is less than uniform electrode/tissue apposition. Subsequently, the control unit 110 may activate the electrodes to create a corresponding number of lesions. During activation of the electrodes, the control unit 110 may use temperature sensors of the electrode pads to monitor heat of the electrode and/or the tissue. In this manner, more or less power may be supplied to each electrode pad as needed during treatment.

In some embodiments, the control unit 110 may apply a uniform standard for determining apposition to all the electrodes of the ablation device 120. For instance, the control unit 110 may utilize the same pre-designated range of resistance measurements to all of the electrodes. In other instances, however, including some, although not all, monopolar applications, different standards may be applied to different monopolar electrodes for determining apposition. For example, in some monopolar embodiments, each monopolar electrode may define a discrete electrical circuit through the tissue to the common/indifferent electrode (or electrodes), and the characteristics of those circuits (e.g. resistance) may vary significantly based on the distance between the monopolar electrode and common electrode, the tissue characteristics therebetween, and other geometries and characteristics of the device and surrounding tissue. As such, in at least some embodiments, it may be desirable to apply criteria for determining apposition that varies depending on, e.g., the distance between the monopolar electrode and a common ground electrode (e.g. the greater the distance between the two electrodes, the higher the impedance measurement required to determine good apposition). In other embodiments, however, the variance due to these differences in distance and other geometries may be minimal or non-substantive, and a uniform standard may be applied.

After the prescribed therapy in the first section of the body passageway is complete, the expandable member 130 may then be collapsed and moved to an untreated second section of the body passageway where therapy is required to repeat the therapy applied in the first section of the body passageway, and similarly to other sections as needed. The sections may be directly adjacent, or may be separated or spaced apart by some distance.

In some instances, alternative methods will be utilized. For instance, in some embodiments, the treatment may be performed at only a single location in the body passageway, and it may not be necessary to move the expandable member to multiple locations in the body passageway.

Referring to an example of renal hypertension involving the reduction of excessive nerve activity, the system 100 may be used to effect a non-piercing, non-ablating way to direct energy to affect nerve activity. Accordingly, the body passageway may be a renal artery surrounded by nervous tissue. Electrodes on the expandable member 130 may be powered to deliver energy in the known direction of a nerve to be affected, the depth of energy penetration being a function of energy dosage, electrode type (e.g. monopolar vs. bipolar) and electrode geometry. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0188912 entitled “System for Inducing Desirable Temperature Effects on Body Tissue”, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes some considerations for electrode geometry and the volume of tissue treatment zones that may be taken into account in some, although not necessarily all, embodiments. In some instances, empirical analysis may be used to determine the impedance characteristics of nervous tissue such that the ablation device 120 may be used to first characterize and then treat tissue in a targeted manner. The delivery and regulation of energy may further involve accumulated damage modeling, as well.

As shown, each lesion may be created in a corresponding treatment zone A-D of the expandable member 130. Accordingly, any lesion made in one particular treatment A-D zone may not circumferentially overlap with a lesion of an adjacent treatment zone A-D at any point along the longitudinal axis L-L. In some embodiments, a treatment zone of the expandable device 130 may have more than one electrode pad, and thus in such cases, lesions created by those electrode pads may circumferentially overlap. In those cases, more lesions may be required for a particular anatomy or a pair of electrode pads may be required for performing a diagnostic routine before therapy is applied. Regardless, circumferential overlap of electrodes of adjacent treatment zones may not be present.

Depending on the particular remodeling effect required, the control unit may energize the electrodes with about 0.25 to about 5 Watts average power for about 1 to about 180 seconds, or with about 0.25 to about 900 Joules. Higher energy treatments may be done at lower powers and longer durations, such as 0.5 Watts for 90 seconds or 0.25 Watts for 180 seconds. In monopolar embodiments, the control unit may energize the electrodes with up to 30 Watts for up to 5 minutes, depending on electrode configuration and distance between the electrodes and the common ground. A shorter distance may provide for lower energy for a shorter period of time because energy travels over more localized area with fewer conductive losses. In an example embodiment for use in renal denervation, energy may be delivered for about 30 seconds at a treatment setting of about 5 Watts, such that treatment zones may be heated to about 68° C. during treatment. As stated above, power requirements may depend heavily on electrode type and configuration. Generally, with wider electrode spacing, more power may be required, in which case the average power could be higher than 5 Watts, and the total energy could exceed 45 Joules. Likewise, using a shorter or smaller electrode pair may require scaling the average power down, and the total energy could be less than 4 Joules. The power and duration may be, in some instances, calibrated to be less than enough to cause severe damage, and particularly less than enough to ablate diseased tissue within a blood vessel. The mechanisms of ablating atherosclerotic material within a blood vessel have been well described, including by Slager et al. in an article entitled, “Vaporization of Atherosclerotic Plaque by Spark Erosion” in J. of Amer. Cardiol. (June, 1985), on pp. 1382-6; and by Stephen M. Fry in “Thermal and Disruptive Angioplasty: a Physician's Guide”; Strategic Business Development, Inc., (1990), the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

In some embodiments, energy treatments applied to one or both of the patient's renal arteries may be applied at higher levels than would be possible in other passageways of the body without deleterious effects. For instance, peripheral and coronary arteries of the body may be susceptible to a deleterious long-term occlusive response if subjected to heating above a certain thermal response limit. It has been discovered that renal arteries, however, can be subjected to heating above such a thermal response limit without deleterious effect.

In some embodiments, the electrode(s) described herein may be energized to assess and then selectively treat targeted tissue to achieve a desired therapeutic result by a remodeling of the treated tissue. For example, tissue signature may be used to identify tissue treatment regions with the use of impedance measurements. Impedance measurements utilizing circumferentially spaced electrodes within a body passage may be used to analyze tissue. Impedance measurements between pairs of adjacent electrodes may differ when the current path passes through diseased tissue, and when it passes through healthy tissues of a luminal wall, for example. Hence, impedance measurements between the electrodes on either side of diseased tissue may indicate a lesion or other type of targeted tissue, while measurements between other pairs of adjacent electrodes may indicate healthy tissue. Other characterization, such as intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, or the like, may be used to identify regions to be treated either in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, impedance measurements. In some instances, it may be desirable to obtain baseline measurements of the tissues to be treated to help differentiate adjacent tissues, as the tissue signatures and/or signature profiles may differ from person to person. Additionally, the tissue signatures and/or signature profile curves may be normalized to facilitate identification of the relevant slopes, offsets, and the like between different tissues. Impedance measurements may be achieved at one or more frequencies, ideally two different frequencies (low and high). Low frequency measurement may be done in range of about 1-10 kHz, or about 4-5 kHz and high frequency measurement may be done in range of about 300 kHz-1 MHz, or between about 750 kHz-1 MHz. Lower frequency measurement mainly represents the resistive component of impedance and may correlate closely with tissue temperature where higher frequency measurement may represent the capacitive component of impedance and may correlate with destruction and changes in cell composition.

Phase angle shift between the resistive and capacitive components of impedance may also occur due to peak changes between current and voltage as result of capacitive and resistive changes of impedance. The phase angle shift may also be monitored as means of assessing tissue contact and lesion formation during RF denervation.

In some embodiments, remodeling of a body lumen or passageway may be performed by gentle heating in combination with gentle or standard dilation. For example, an angioplasty balloon catheter structure having electrodes disposed thereon may apply electrical potentials to the vessel wall before, during, and/or after dilation, optionally in combination with dilation pressures which are at or significantly lower than standard, unheated angioplasty dilation pressures. Where balloon inflation pressures of 10-16 atmospheres may, for example, be appropriate for standard angioplasty dilation of a particular lesion, modified dilation treatments combined with appropriate electrical potentials (through flexible circuit electrodes on the balloon, electrodes deposited directly on the balloon structure, or the like) described herein may employ from about 10-16 atmospheres or may be effected with pressures of about 6 atmospheres or less, and possibly as low as about 1 to 2 atmospheres. Such moderate dilation pressures may (or may not) be combined with one or more aspects of the tissue characterization, tuned energy, eccentric treatments, and other treatment aspects described herein for treatment of body lumens, the circulatory system, and diseases of the peripheral vasculature.

In many embodiments, gentle heating energy added before, during, and/or after dilation of a body passageway may increase dilation effectiveness while lowering complications. In some embodiments, such controlled heating with a balloon may exhibit a reduction in recoil, providing at least some of the benefits of a stent-like expansion without the disadvantages of an implant. Benefits of the heating may be enhanced (and/or complications inhibited) by limiting heating of the adventitial layer below a deleterious response threshold. In many cases, such heating of the intima and/or media may be provided using heating times of less than about 10 seconds, often being less than 3 (or even 2) seconds. In other cases, very low power may be used for longer durations. Efficient coupling of the energy to the target tissue by matching the driving potential of the circuit to the target tissue phase angle may enhance desirable heating efficiency, effectively maximizing the area under the electrical power curve. The matching of the phase angle need not be absolute, and while complete phase matching to a characterized target tissue may have benefits, alternative systems may pre-set appropriate potentials to substantially match typical target tissues; though the actual phase angles may not be matched precisely, heating localization within the target tissues may be significantly better than using a standard power form.

In some embodiments, monopolar (unipolar) RF energy application may be delivered between any of the electrodes on the expandable member and a common ground or return electrode positioned on the outside skin or on the device itself. Monoploar RF may be desirable in areas where deep lesions are required. For example, in a monopolar application, each electrode pair may be powered with positive polarity rather than having one positive pole and one negative pole per pair. In some embodiments, a combination of monopolar and bipolar RF energy application may be done where lesions of various depth/size can be selectively achieved by varying the polarity of the electrodes of the pair.

The application of RF energy may be controlled so as to limit a temperature of target and/or collateral tissues, for example, limiting the heating of target tissue such that neither the target tissue nor the collateral tissue sustains irreversible thermal damage. In some embodiments, the surface temperature range may be from about 50° C. to about 90° C. For gentle heating, the surface temperature may range from about 50° C. to about 70° C., while for more aggressive heating, the surface temperature may range from about 70° C. to about 90° C. Limiting heating so as to inhibit heating of collateral tissues to less than a surface temperature in a range from about 50° C. to about 70° C., such that the bulk tissue temperature remains mostly below about 50° C. to about 55° C., may inhibit an immune response that might otherwise lead to stenosis, thermal damage, or the like.

In some embodiments, the target temperature may vary during the treatment, and may be, for instance, a function of treatment time. One possible target temperature profile may include a treatment with a duration of 30 seconds and a twelve second ramp up from nominal body temperature to a maximum target temperature of about 68° C. During the twelve second ramp up phase, the target temperature profile may be defined by a quadratic equation in which target temperature (T) is a function of time (t). The coefficients of the equation may be set such that the ramp from nominal body temperature to about 68° C. may follow a path analogous to the trajectory of a projectile reaching the maximum height of its arc of travel under the influence of gravity. In other words, the ramp may be set such that there may be a constant deceleration in the ramp of temperature (d²T/dt²) and a linearly decreasing slope (dT/dt) in the temperature increase as 12 seconds and 68° C. are reached. Such a profile, with its gradual decrease in slope as it approaches 68° C., may facilitate minimizing over and/or undershoot of the set target temperature for the remainder of the treatment. In some embodiments, the target temperature profile may be equally suitable for bipolar or monopolar treatments, although, in at least some monopolar embodiments, treatment time may be increased. Other target temperature profiles utilizing different durations of time (i.e., 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 8 seconds, 12 seconds, 17 seconds, etc.) and set target temperatures (55° C., 60° C., 65° C., 70° C., 75° C., etc.) in various combinations may be used as desired. For each of the target temperature profiles considered, a temperature ramp embodying or approximating a quadratic equation may be utilized, however, any function or other profile that efficiently heats tissue, optimizes treatment time, and avoids thermal damage to target tissue may be used. However, in still other embodiments, it will not be necessary to utilize a temperature profile that achieves all of these goals. For instance and without limitation, in at least some embodiments, optimization of treatment time may not be essential.

A control method may be executed using the processing functionality of the control unit 110 of FIG. 1 and/or control software, described in further detail above, or in other manners. In at least some instances, the control method may provide for fine regulation of temperature or other treatment parameter(s) at the various treatment sites of the device, while utilizing a relatively simple and robust energy generator to simultaneously energize several of the electrodes or other delivery sites at a single output setting (e.g. voltage), which may minimize cost, size and complexity of the system. The control method may minimize deviation from target temperature or other treatment parameter(s), and hence minimize variation in demand on the energy generator (e.g. voltage demand) during any time slice of the treatment.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to regulate the application of RF or other energy based on target temperature profiles such as those described above to provide for a gentle, controlled, heating that avoids application of high instantaneous power and, at a microscopic level, associated tissue searing or other damage, which could undesirably result in heat block or otherwise cause a net reduction in thermal conduction heat transfer at the device/tissue interface. In other words, by avoiding higher swings in temperature and the resultant heavier instantaneous application of energy to reestablish temperature near the target temperature, tissue integrity at the immediate interface location may be preserved. Tissue desiccation may result in a net loss of thermal conductivity, resulting in reduced effective transfer of gentle, therapeutic delivery of energy to target tissues beyond the electrode/tissue interface.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that although a particular control method may be presented for purposes of illustration in the context of the particular electrosurgical devices already described above, that these control methods and similar methods could be beneficially applied to other electro-surgical devices.

In general, the control method may seek to maintain the various treatment sites at a pre-defined target temperature, such as at one of the target temperature profiles discussed above. In some embodiments, the control method may maintain the treatment site(s) at the pre-defined target temperature primarily by regulating output voltage of the RF generator and determining which of the electrodes will by energized at a given time slice (e.g. by switching particular electrodes on or off for that cycle).

The output setting of the generator and switching of the electrodes may be determined by a feedback loop that takes into account measured temperature as well as previous desired output settings. During a particular treatment cycle (e.g. a 25 millisecond slice of the treatment), each of the electrodes may be identified for one of three states: off, energized, or measuring. In some embodiments, electrodes may only be in energized and/or measuring states (an electrode that is energized may also be measuring) if they meet certain criteria, with the default electrode state being off. Electrodes that have been identified as energized or measuring electrodes may have voltage applied or be detecting temperature signals for a portion of the cycle, or for the entire cycle.

In some embodiments, the control method may be designed to keep as many candidate electrodes as possible as close to target temperature as possible while minimizing variations in temperature and hence minimizing variations in voltage demand from treatment cycle to treatment cycle.

Each electrode may be initially set to off. At a next step, one of the electrodes may be designated as a primary electrode for that treatment cycle. As discussed in further detail below, during the treatment, the primary electrode designated may vary from treatment cycle to treatment cycle (e.g. cycle through all of the available electrodes). The determination of which electrode may be designated as the primary electrode may be done by accessing a look-up table or using any other suitable functionality for identifying a primary electrode and varying the choice of primary electrode from treatment cycle to treatment cycle.

Additionally, at the next step discussed above, additional electrodes may also be designated as candidate electrodes for energization and/or measuring during that treatment cycle. The additional electrodes designated may be candidates by virtue of being in a certain relationship or lacking a certain relationship relative to the designated primary electrode for that treatment cycle.

For instance, in some bipolar electrode embodiments, some of the electrodes on the ablation device may be arranged in a manner such that there may be a potential for current leakage between the primary electrode and those other electrodes if both the primary electrode and those additional electrodes are energized simultaneously in a treatment cycle, which may undesirably cause interference with the temperature measurement by the associated temperature sensor, imprecision in the amount of energy delivered at each electrode, or other undesirable consequences. For instance, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, if electrode pad 150 c is designated as a primary electrode, electrode pads 150 d and 170 d, which have negative poles immediately adjacent or proximate the positive pole of electrode pad 150 c, may be considered to be not candidates for measuring and/or energization for that particular treatment cycle, since they are leakage-inducingly proximate to the designated primary electrode. Additionally, in this embodiment, electrode pad 150 b, which may have a positive pole immediately adjacent or proximate the negative pole of electrode pad 150 c, may be considered to not be a candidate, since it may also be leakage-inducingly proximate to the designated primary electrode. Furthermore, in this particular embodiment, electrode pad 170 b may also be considered a non-candidate because it may be on the same flex structure as the leakage-inducingly proximate electrode pad 150 b. Finally, in this particular embodiment, electrode pads 150 a and 170 a may be considered candidates because they are adjacent non-candidates.

As another non-limiting example, in some monopolar electrode embodiments, the candidate electrodes may be the monopolar electrodes that have similar measured or estimated electrical circuit properties to one or more measured or estimated properties of the electrical circuit associated with the primary electrode. In other words, in some monopolar systems, it may be desirable to only simultaneously energize monopolar electrodes that define substantially similar electrical circuits to the electrical circuit defined by the primary monopolar electrode (e.g. the circuit defined by the monopolar electrode, the common electrode, and a pathway through the patient's tissue). In some instances, this may facilitate uniformity in current flow during energization. In other embodiments, a pre-defined table or other listing or association may determine which electrodes are candidate electrodes based on the current primary electrode.

In at least some embodiments, switches associated with non-candidates may be opened to isolate the non-candidates from the rest of the system's circuitry. This switching, in at least some embodiments, may also or alternatively be used to otherwise maximize the number of available electrode pairs available for energization provided that a common ground between pairs is not affected by the switching off.

In other embodiments, the ablation device may be configured to avoid the potential for leakage or otherwise take such leakage into account, and, accordingly, all the electrodes of the device may be candidates for energization and/or measuring during a treatment cycle.

In some embodiments, the assignment of an electrode as either the primary electrode, candidate, or non-candidate may be determined by a sequence matrix or look up table in an array that identifies the status of each of the electrodes and an order for the designation of primary electrodes. In one non-limiting embodiment, the primary electrode designation cycles circumferentially through the proximate electrodes and then circumferentially through the distal electrodes (e.g. in FIG. 3, the sequence may be 170 a, b, c, d, 150 a, b, c, d). However, any pattern or other methodology could be used including ones that optimize distance between the next in sequence, the nearness of next in sequence, or the evenness of distribution.

In some embodiments, additional conditions may result in a particular electrode being set to off for a particular treatment cycle and/or for the remainder of the treatment. For instance, as discussed below, during the course of treatment, as much as 4° C. temperature overshoot may be allowed (e.g., even if such overshoot results in the electrode not being energized, it may not necessarily be set to off and may still be available for measuring); however, in at least some embodiments, if eight consecutive treatment cycles measure temperature overshoot for a particular electrode, that electrode may be set to off for the remainder of the treatment, with the treatment otherwise continuing and without otherwise changing the control loop process discussed below.

At a next step, target voltages for each of the primary and other candidate electrodes may be determined. In some embodiments, a target voltage for a particular electrode may be determined based on a temperature error associated with the treatment site of that electrode as well as the last target voltage calculated (although not necessarily applied) for that electrode. Temperature error may be calculated by measuring the current temperature at the treatment site (e.g. utilizing the temperature sensor associated with the electrode proximate that treatment site) and determining the difference between the measured temperature and the target temperature for that instant of time in the treatment.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that while some embodiments are described as using voltage as a control variable, power could be used as an alternative to voltage for the control variable, based on, for instance, a known relationship between power and voltage (i.e. power equaling voltage times current, or current squared times impedance, or voltage squared divided by impedance).

One embodiment may include a sub-routine for determining a target voltage for an electrode. For example, one step may include calculating a temperature error from target (T_(e)) by subtracting the target temperature at that time (T_(t)) from the actual temperature (T) (e.g. as measured by a thermistor associated with that electrode). Subsequently, it may be determined whether the temperature error calculated at the calculating step is greater than 4° C. (i.e. if the target temperature is 68° C., determining if the temperature as measured by the thermistor is above 72° C.). If the temperature error is greater than 4° C., the sub-routine may assign that electrode a target voltage of zero for that treatment cycle. If the temperature error is not greater than 4° C., the subroutine may proceed to a next step and determine whether the temperature error is greater than 2° C. If the temperature error is greater than 2° C., the sub-routine may assign that electrode a target voltage of 75% (or another percentage) of the last assigned target voltage for that electrode. If the temperature error is not greater than 2° C., the sub-routine may assign a target voltage for that electrode based on the equation: V=K _(L) V _(L) +K _(P) T _(e) +K _(I)∫^(t) _(t-n sec) T _(e AVE)

-   -   where:         -   V is the target voltage;         -   T_(e) is a temperature error from target;         -   V_(L) is the last assigned electrode voltage;         -   K_(L), K_(P), and K_(I) are constants; and         -   n is a time value ranging from 0 to t seconds.

In some embodiments, the equation used may be: V=0.75V _(L) +K _(P) T _(e) +K _(I)∫_(t-l sec) ^(t) T _(e AVE)

-   -   where:         -   V is the target voltage;         -   T_(e) is the temperature error from target;         -   V_(L) is the last assigned electrode voltage;         -   K_(P) is a constant from proportionate control; and         -   K_(I) is a constant from integral control.

In some embodiments, it may be beneficial to use only the last assigned electrode voltage for determining a target voltage, rather than utilizing averages of voltages or voltages from earlier treatment cycles, as, in some cases, use of earlier voltages may be a source for computational error in embodiments that focus on fine control of the target temperature.

Once target voltages are determined for the primary electrode and other candidate electrodes, it may be determined whether the target voltage for the primary electrode is greater than zero. If not, the output voltage of the RF generator may be set for that treatment cycle to the lowest target voltage determined for the other candidate electrodes. If the target voltage determined for the primary electrode is greater than zero, the output voltage of the RF generator may be set for that treatment cycle to the target voltage of the primary electrode.

Next, the primary and other candidate electrodes with a target voltage greater than zero may be identified as electrodes to be energized. In alternative embodiments, candidate electrodes other than the primary may only be energized if the target voltages determined for those electrodes is 6V greater than the set voltage. In some embodiments, candidate electrodes other than the primary may only be energized if the target voltages determined for these electrodes are 1, 5 or 10V greater than the set voltage.

Lastly, it may be determined whether the electrodes to be energized are currently at temperatures greater than 68° C. Those electrodes that are at temperatures greater than 68° C. may be switched off or otherwise prevented from being energized in that treatment cycle, and those electrodes otherwise meeting the above criteria may be energized at the set voltage. Subsequently, another treatment cycle begins, and the control method may be repeated until the treatment is complete. In some embodiments, each treatment cycle will be non-overlapping with the previous and next cycles (e.g. the steps of the control method will be completely performed before the next cycle's steps begin), although, in other embodiments, the cycles may be overlapping at least to some extent.

Turning now to FIG. 7, a renal nerve ablation device 120 may include an expandable member 130 may be disposed at, on, about, or near a distal end of the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the expandable member 130 may include an electrode assembly 300. In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 300 may include a ground electrode 310, an active electrode 312, and a sensor element 314. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310 may be disposed adjacent to the active electrode 312. In some embodiments, the sensor element 314 may be disposed adjacent to the ground electrode 310 and/or the active electrode 312. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 may extend along a length of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 may extend along substantially a full length of the expandable member 130.

In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and the sensor element 314 may be formed as discrete metallic foil strips, wires, or other electrically-conductive material spaced apart from each other, and disposed in a helical or spiral pattern or orientation along an outer surface of the expandable member 130. The ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and the sensor element 314 may be oriented generally parallel to each other. The helical or spiral pattern or orientation may be arranged such that a plane placed normal or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L-L of the expandable member 130 may intersect the electrode assembly 300, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 at a single location such that at no location along the length of the expandable member 130 does the electrode assembly 300, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 overlap itself longitudinally. Other arrangements, however, are contemplated. The helical orientation along the length of the expandable member 130 forms at least one complete (360 degree) circumferential loop within the lumen or vessel that the expandable member 130 is positioned. The electrodes provide heating at a location within the tissue surrounding the body passageway without damaging the wall of the body passageway in order to disrupt the nerves located in the tissue surrounding the body passageway wall. A helical orientation is desirable to help avoid an increased risk of stenosis that may be present when electrodes are disposed within a single plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the body passageway (i.e., a circular electrode or group of electrodes).

In some embodiments, the renal nerve ablation device 120 may include a single ground electrode 310 and a single active electrode 312. Accordingly, the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312 may combine to form a bipolar electrode pair. When the renal nerve ablation device 120 is energized, such as in the manner(s) described above, RF energy or other suitable energy may pass from the active electrode 312 to the ground electrode 310, thereby creating a corresponding lesion or lesions along a body passageway within which the expandable member 130 has been positioned. The sensor element 314 may be positioned between the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312. The sensor element 314 may include at least one temperature sensor 326, such as a thermistor or thermocouple, positioned on the outer surface of the expandable member 130. The at least one temperature sensor 326 may be positioned between the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312, and may be configured to monitor the temperature of the target tissue, the active and ground electrodes, or both, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor 326 may include a plurality of temperature sensors 326 configured to monitor the temperature of the target tissue, the active electrodes, the ground electrodes, or any combination thereof, at a plurality of locations along the length of the expandable member 130.

In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 may be coupled to the expandable member 130, and operatively connected to the control unit 110 and/or the RF generator. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 may be recessed within a groove in the outer surface of the expandable member 130, such that the ground electrode 310, the active electrode 312, and/or the sensor element 314 do not protrude outwardly past the outer surface of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312 form a single pair of electrodes having each an exposed electrode surface extending uninterruptedly along a length of the expandable member 130 in a helical manner, as seen in FIG. 7. Accordingly, a single, continuous, helical lesion may be formed between the active electrode 312 and the ground electrode 310 when the single pair of electrodes is energized.

In some embodiments, the renal nerve ablation device 120 may include one or more discrete areas of insulating material 350 disposed over one or more portions of the ground electrode 310 and/or the active electrode 312 to create multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface. The multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface of the active electrode 312 may form a plurality of active electrodes. In some embodiments, the plurality of active electrodes may be formed from a single conductive strip or wire. The multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface of the ground electrode 310 may form a plurality of ground electrodes. In some embodiments, the plurality of ground electrodes may be formed from a single conductive strip or wire. In some embodiments, the plurality of ground electrodes may be disposed adjacent to the plurality of active electrodes. The plurality of active electrodes may correspond to the plurality of ground electrodes, for example in a 1:1 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 1:2 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 1:3 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 2:1 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 3:1 ratio of active to ground electrodes, or other suitable ratios, in order to deliver ablation at discontinuous locations, as seen in FIG. 8. In some embodiments, each of the multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface forming a plurality of active electrodes and/or a plurality of ground electrodes may include a temperature sensor disposed therebetween, as discussed above.

In some embodiments, the one or more discrete areas of insulating material 350 may be added to the expandable member 130 and/or formed over the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312 after the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312 are coupled to the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the one or more discrete areas of insulating material 350 may be formed by integrally forming the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312 within a wall of the expandable member 130, or by disposing the ground electrode 310 and the active electrode 312 within discrete lumens disposed within the wall of the expandable member 130 with openings and/or apertures formed at one or more locations where the discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface (i.e., the plurality of active electrodes and/or the plurality of ground electrodes) of the single pair of electrodes is located.

In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 200 of FIG. 4 may be oriented or arranged in a helical manner, similar to the electrode assembly 300 discussed above. In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 200 may form multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface in order to deliver ablation at discontinuous locations.

In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 300 may lack the ground electrode 310, or the ground electrode 310 may not be connected to the control unit 110, such that the active electrode 312 may form a monopolar electrode. In embodiments utilizing a monopolar electrode, a separate common ground electrode may be used. The common ground electrode may be capable of being a return electrical pathway for the active electrode 312. Thus, energy may be delivered to the active electrode 312 and the common ground electrode may be the return electrical pathway.

Turning now to FIG. 9, a renal nerve ablation device 120 may include an expandable member 130 may be disposed at, on, about, or near a distal end of the elongate tubular member or catheter shaft 122, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the expandable member 130 may include an electrode assembly 400 formed on, in, or as part of a flexible polymer strip 460. In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 400 may include a ground electrode 410, an active electrode 412, and a sensor element 414. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410 may be disposed adjacent to the active electrode 412. In some embodiments, the sensor element 414 may be disposed adjacent to the ground electrode 410 and/or the active electrode 412. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 may extend along a length of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 may extend along substantially a full length of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the flexible polymer strip 460 may be coupled, affixed, bonded, or otherwise joined to an outer surface of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 may be disposed on an outer surface of the flexible polymer strip 460 facing away from the expandable member 130 such that the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 may not be in direct contact with the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the sensor element 414 may be disposed on an inner surface of the flexible polymer strip 460 facing toward the expandable member 130 such that the sensor element 414 may be in direct contact with the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 may be disposed on an inner surface of the flexible polymer strip 460 facing toward the expandable member 130 such that the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 may be in direct contact with the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the sensor element 414 may be disposed on an outer surface of the flexible polymer strip 460 facing away from the expandable member 130 such that the sensor element 414 may not be in direct contact with the expandable member 130. Other configurations are also contemplated.

In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and the sensor element 414 may be formed as discrete metallic foil strips, wires, or other electrically-conductive material spaced apart from each other, and disposed in a helical or spiral pattern or orientation along an outer surface of the expandable member 130. The ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and the sensor element 414 may be oriented generally parallel to each other. The helical or spiral pattern or orientation may be arranged such that a plane placed normal or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L-L of the expandable member 130 may intersect the electrode assembly 400, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 at a single location such that at no location along the length of the expandable member 130 does the electrode assembly 400, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 overlap itself longitudinally. Other arrangements, however, are contemplated. The helical orientation along the length of the expandable member 130 forms at least one complete (360 degree) circumferential loop within the lumen or vessel that the expandable member 130 is positioned. The electrodes provide heating at a location within the tissue surrounding the body passageway without damaging the wall of the body passageway in order to disrupt the nerves located in the tissue surrounding the body passageway wall. A helical orientation is desirable to help avoid an increased risk of stenosis that may be present when electrodes are disposed within a single plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the body passageway (i.e., a circular electrode or group of electrodes).

In some embodiments, the renal nerve ablation device 120 may include a single ground electrode 410 and a single active electrode 412. Accordingly, the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 may combine to form a bipolar electrode pair. When the renal nerve ablation device 120 is energized, such as in the manner(s) described above, RF energy or other suitable energy may pass from the active electrode 412 to the ground electrode 410, thereby creating a corresponding lesion or lesions along a body passageway within which the expandable member 130 has been positioned. The sensor element 414 may be positioned between the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412. The sensor element 414 may include at least one temperature sensor 426, such as a thermistor or thermocouple, positioned on the outer surface of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor 426 may be disposed on an inner surface of the flexible polymer strip 460, such that the at least one temperature sensor 426 may be in direct contact with the outer surface of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor 426 may be effectively sandwiched between the expandable member 130 and the flexible polymer strip 460, such that none of the at least one temperature sensor 426 may be exposed to the body passageway. The at least one temperature sensor 426 may be positioned between the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412, and may be configured to monitor the temperature of the target tissue, the active and ground electrodes, or both, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the at least one temperature sensor 426 may include a plurality of temperature sensors 426 configured to monitor the temperature of the target tissue, the active electrodes, the ground electrodes, or any combination thereof, at a plurality of locations along the length of the expandable member 130.

In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 may be coupled to the expandable member 130, and operatively connected to the control unit 110 and/or the RF generator. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 may be recessed within a groove in the outer surface of the expandable member 130, such that the ground electrode 410, the active electrode 412, and/or the sensor element 414 do not protrude outwardly past the outer surface of the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 form a single pair of electrodes having each an exposed electrode surface extending uninterruptedly along a length of the expandable member 130 in a helical manner, as seen in FIG. 9. Accordingly, a single, continuous, helical lesion may be formed between the active electrode 412 and the ground electrode 410 when the single pair of electrodes is energized.

In some embodiments, the renal nerve ablation device 120 may include one or more discrete areas of insulating material 450 disposed over one or more portions of the ground electrode 410 and/or the active electrode 412 to create multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface. The multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface of the active electrode 412 may form a plurality of active electrodes. In some embodiments, the plurality of active electrodes may be formed from a single conductive strip or wire. The multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface of the ground electrode 410 may form a plurality of ground electrodes. In some embodiments, the plurality of ground electrodes may be formed from a single conductive strip or wire. In some embodiments, the plurality of ground electrodes may be disposed adjacent to the plurality of active electrodes. The plurality of active electrodes may correspond to the plurality of ground electrodes, for example in a 1:1 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 1:2 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 1:3 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 2:1 ratio of active to ground electrodes, a 3:1 ratio of active to ground electrodes, or other suitable ratios, in order to deliver ablation at discontinuous locations, as seen in FIG. 10. In some embodiments, each of the multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface forming a plurality of active electrodes and/or a plurality of ground electrodes may include a temperature sensor disposed therebetween, as discussed above.

In some embodiments, the one or more discrete areas of insulating material 450 may be added to the expandable member 130 and/or formed over the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 after the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 are formed with or coupled to the flexible polymer strip 460 and/or the expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the one or more discrete areas of insulating material 450 may be formed by integrally forming the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 within the flexible polymer strip 460 and/or a wall of the expandable member 130, or by disposing the ground electrode 410 and the active electrode 412 within discrete lumens disposed within the wall of the expandable member 130 with openings and/or apertures formed at one or more locations where the discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface (i.e., the plurality of active electrodes and/or the plurality of ground electrodes) of the single pair of electrodes is located.

In some embodiments, the electrode assembly 400 may lack the ground electrode 410, or the ground electrode 410 may not be connected to the control unit 110, such that the active electrode 412 may form a monopolar electrode. In embodiments utilizing a monopolar electrode, a separate common ground electrode may be used. The common ground electrode may be capable of being a return electrical pathway for the active electrode 412. Thus, energy may be delivered to the active electrode 412 and the common ground electrode may be the return electrical pathway.

As the name suggests, the common ground electrode may be utilized as a common ground for more than one active electrode. For example, while only one active electrode 312, 412 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, the ablation device 120 may include a plurality of active electrodes, such as in FIGS. 8 and 10, and a common ground electrode may be a common ground for at least some or, in at least some embodiments, all of the active electrodes. Various embodiments are contemplated that include any suitable number of active electrodes including one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more active electrodes.

Because the common ground electrode may be utilized as the return electrode for a plurality of active electrodes, the active electrodes need not have a bipolar return electrode (i.e., ground trace) paired with each active electrode. This may allow active electrodes and/or the other structures associated therewith to be constructed with a smaller size or footprint. This may desirably impact the overall construction of device. For example, smaller active electrodes may be more flexible, allow for easier balloon folding (e.g., when expandable member 130 takes the form of a balloon), provide fewer catch points or otherwise reduce the likelihood of edges of active electrodes being lifted from the surface of expandable member 130 when proximally retracting the ablation device 120, reduce the profile of the ablation device 120, or the like. These are just examples.

In use, the ablation device 120 may be advanced through a blood vessel to a position adjacent to a target tissue (e.g., within a renal artery). In some embodiments, the target tissue may be one or more renal nerves disposed about the renal artery. When suitably positioned, expandable member 130 may be expanded from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded configuration. This may place the active electrode 312, 412 against the wall of the blood vessel. The active electrode 312, 412 may be activated. Ablation energy may be transmitted from the active electrode 312, 412, through the target tissue (where renal nerves may be ablated, modulated, or otherwise impacted), and back through the ground electrode 310, 410, in a bipolar configuration, or back through the common ground electrode, in a monopolar configuration.

The form of common ground electrode may also vary. For example, common ground electrode may take the form of a grid or matrix of conductive material disposed along expandable member 130. Other embodiments are contemplated. For example, a common ground electrode may take the form of a coating, such as a conductive coating that is applied to an outer surface of the expandable member 130. For example, the coating may be gold coating that may be sputter coated onto expandable member 130. In some embodiments, the coating may cover about 50% or more of the surface area of expandable member 130, or about 60% or more of the surface area of the expandable member 130, or about 70% or more of the surface area of the expandable member 130, or about 80% or more of the surface area of the expandable member 130, or about 90% or more of the surface area of the expandable member 130. These are just examples. Other coatings are contemplated and any suitable coatings can be utilized with any of the devices disclosed herein.

The materials that can be used for the various components of the ablation device 120 (and/or other devices disclosed herein) may include those commonly associated with medical devices. For simplicity purposes, the following discussion makes reference to the ablation device 120. However, this is not intended to limit the devices and methods described herein, as the discussion may be applied to other similar tubular members and/or expandable members and/or components of tubular members and/or expandable members disclosed herein.

The ablation device 120 and the various components thereof may be made from a metal, metal alloy, polymer (some examples of which are disclosed below), a metal-polymer composite, ceramics, combinations thereof, and the like, or other suitable material. Some examples of suitable polymers may include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), polyoxymethylene (POM, for example, DELRIN® available from DuPont), polyether block ester, polyurethane (for example, Polyurethane 85A), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyether-ester (for example, ARNITEL® available from DSM Engineering Plastics), ether or ester based copolymers (for example, butylene/poly(alkylene ether) phthalate and/or other polyester elastomers such as HYTREL® available from DuPont), polyamide (for example, DURETHAN® available from Bayer or CRISTAMID® available from Elf Atochem), elastomeric polyamides, block polyamide/ethers, polyether block amide (PEBA, for example available under the trade name PEBAX®), ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA), silicones, polyethylene (PE), Marlex high-density polyethylene, Marlex low-density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene (for example REXELL®), polyester, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polytrimethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyimide (PI), polyetherimide (PEI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), poly paraphenylene terephthalamide (for example, KEVLAR®), polysulfone, nylon, nylon-12 (such as GRILAMID® available from EMS American Grilon), perfluoro(propyl vinyl ether) (PFA), ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyolefin, polystyrene, epoxy, polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC), poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene) (for example, SIBS and/or SIBS 50A), polycarbonates, ionomers, biocompatible polymers, other suitable materials, or mixtures, combinations, copolymers thereof, polymer/metal composites, and the like. In some embodiments the sheath can be blended with a liquid crystal polymer (LCP). For example, the mixture can contain up to about 6 percent LCP.

Some examples of suitable metals and metal alloys include stainless steel, such as 304V, 304L, and 316LV stainless steel; mild steel; nickel-titanium alloy such as linear-elastic and/or super-elastic nitinol; other nickel alloys such as nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloys (e.g., UNS: N06625 such as INCONEL® 625, UNS: N06022 such as HASTELLOY® C-22®, UNS: N10276 such as HASTELLOY® C276®, other HASTELLOY® alloys, and the like), nickel-copper alloys (e.g., UNS: N04400 such as MONEL® 400, NICKELVAC® 400, NICORROS® 400, and the like), nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys (e.g., UNS: R30035 such as MP35-N® and the like), nickel-molybdenum alloys (e.g., UNS: N10665 such as HASTELLOY® ALLOY B2®), other nickel-chromium alloys, other nickel-molybdenum alloys, other nickel-cobalt alloys, other nickel-iron alloys, other nickel-copper alloys, other nickel-tungsten or tungsten alloys, and the like; cobalt-chromium alloys; cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys (e.g., UNS: R30003 such as ELGILOY®, PHYNOX®, and the like); platinum enriched stainless steel; titanium; combinations thereof; and the like; or any other suitable material.

As alluded to herein, within the family of commercially available nickel-titanium or nitinol alloys, is a category designated “linear elastic” or “non-super-elastic” which, although may be similar in chemistry to conventional shape memory and super elastic varieties, may exhibit distinct and useful mechanical properties. Linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol may be distinguished from super elastic nitinol in that the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol does not display a substantial “superelastic plateau” or “flag region” in its stress/strain curve like super elastic nitinol does. Instead, in the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol, as recoverable strain increases, the stress continues to increase in a substantially linear, or a somewhat, but not necessarily entirely linear relationship until plastic deformation begins or at least in a relationship that is more linear that the super elastic plateau and/or flag region that may be seen with super elastic nitinol. Thus, for the purposes of this disclosure linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol may also be termed “substantially” linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol.

In some cases, linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol may also be distinguishable from super elastic nitinol in that linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nitinol may accept up to about 2-5% strain while remaining substantially elastic (e.g., before plastically deforming) whereas super elastic nitinol may accept up to about 8% strain before plastically deforming. Both of these materials can be distinguished from other linear elastic materials such as stainless steel (that can also can be distinguished based on its composition), which may accept only about 0.2 to 0.44 percent strain before plastically deforming.

In some embodiments, the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nickel-titanium alloy is an alloy that does not show any martensite/austenite phase changes that are detectable by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic metal thermal analysis (DMTA) analysis over a large temperature range. For example, in some embodiments, there may be no martensite/austenite phase changes detectable by DSC and DMTA analysis in the range of about −60 degrees Celsius (° C.) to about 120° C. in the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nickel-titanium alloy. The mechanical bending properties of such material may therefore be generally inert to the effect of temperature over this very broad range of temperature. In some embodiments, the mechanical bending properties of the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nickel-titanium alloy at ambient or room temperature are substantially the same as the mechanical properties at body temperature, for example, in that they do not display a super-elastic plateau and/or flag region. In other words, across a broad temperature range, the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nickel-titanium alloy maintains its linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic characteristics and/or properties.

In some embodiments, the linear elastic and/or non-super-elastic nickel-titanium alloy may be in the range of about 50 to about 60 weight percent nickel, with the remainder being essentially titanium. In some embodiments, the composition is in the range of about 54 to about 57 weight percent nickel. One example of a suitable nickel-titanium alloy is FHP-NT alloy commercially available from Furukawa Techno Material Co. of Kanagawa, Japan. Some examples of nickel titanium alloys are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,238,004 and 6,508,803, which are incorporated herein by reference. Other suitable materials may include ULTANIUM™ (available from Neo-Metrics) and GUM METAL™ (available from Toyota). In some other embodiments, a superelastic alloy, for example a superelastic nitinol can be used to achieve desired properties.

In at least some embodiments, portions of the ablation device 120 may also be doped with, made of, or otherwise include a radiopaque material. Radiopaque materials are understood to be materials capable of producing a relatively bright image on a fluoroscopy screen or another imaging technique during a medical procedure. This relatively bright image aids the user of the ablation device 120 in determining its location. Some examples of radiopaque materials can include, but are not limited to, gold, platinum, palladium, tantalum, tungsten alloy, polymer material loaded with a radiopaque filler, and the like. Additionally, other radiopaque marker bands and/or coils may also be incorporated into the design of the ablation device 120 to achieve the same result.

In some embodiments, a degree of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatibility may be imparted into the ablation device 120. For example, portions of device, may be made of a material that does not substantially distort the image and create substantial artifacts (i.e., gaps in the image). Certain ferromagnetic materials, for example, may not be suitable because they may create artifacts in an MRI image. In some of these and in other embodiments, portions of the ablation device 120 may also be made from a material that the MRI machine can image. Some materials that exhibit these characteristics include, for example, tungsten, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys (e.g., UNS: R30003 such as ELGILOY®, PHYNOX®, and the like), nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys (e.g., UNS: R30035 such as MP35-N® and the like), nitinol, and the like, and others.

The entire disclosures of the following documents are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety:

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/750,879, filed on Jan. 25, 2013, and entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR REMODELING TISSUE OF OR ADJACENT TO A BODY PASSAGE”, now published as U.S. Patent Publication No. US20130165926A1.

Additional Embodiments

A renal nerve ablation device is disclosed. The renal nerve ablation device includes an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable member is coupled to the distal region, the expandable member having a length. One or more active electrodes are coupled to the expandable member. One or more ground electrodes are coupled to the expandable member adjacent to the one or more active electrodes. One or more temperature sensors are disposed on an outer surface of the expandable member adjacent the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes. The one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes are oriented helically about the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more temperature sensors are disposed on the outer surface of the expandable member between the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more ground electrodes is oriented parallel to the one or more active electrodes.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the one or more ground electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the one or more active electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the expandable member includes one or more struts.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more active electrodes are disposed along the struts.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the expandable member includes an expandable basket.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the expandable member includes a balloon.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the one or more active electrodes is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the one or more ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the one or more active electrodes is disposed within the groove and wherein at least one of the one or more ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more active electrodes comprises a single active electrode extending along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more active electrodes comprises a single active electrode extending along the full length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more ground electrodes comprises a single ground electrode extending along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the one or more ground electrodes comprises a single ground electrode extending along the full length of the expandable member.

A renal nerve ablation device is disclosed. The renal nerve ablation device comprises an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable balloon is coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length. A plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes are coupled to the balloon. A plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes are coupled to the balloon. A plurality of temperature sensors are disposed on an outer surface of the balloon between the plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes and the plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the plurality of ground electrodes is oriented parallel to the plurality of active electrodes.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the plurality of ground electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the plurality of active electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the groove and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within one of the plurality of grooves and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within another of the plurality of grooves.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a lumen is formed within a wall of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the lumen.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a lumen is formed within a wall of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the lumen.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of lumens are formed within a wall of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within one of the plurality of lumens and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within another or the plurality of lumens.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the plurality of active electrodes is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the plurality of active electrodes is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the full length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the plurality of ground electrodes is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the plurality of ground electrodes is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the full length of the expandable member.

A renal nerve ablation device is disclosed. The renal nerve ablation device comprises an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable balloon is coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length. A flexible polymer strip coupled to the balloon. The flexible polymer strip includes a helically-oriented active electrode on a surface of the flexible polymer strip facing away from the balloon, a helically-oriented ground electrode disposed adjacent the active electrode on the surface of the flexible polymer strip facing away from the balloon, and a temperature sensor between the helically-oriented active electrode and the helically-oriented ground electrode, the temperature sensor on a surface of the flexible polymer strip facing toward the balloon.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the plurality of ground electrodes are oriented parallel to the plurality of active electrodes.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the plurality of ground electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the plurality of active electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein the flexible polymer strip is disposed within the groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the helically-oriented active electrode is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the helically-oriented active electrode is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the full length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the helically-oriented ground electrode is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the length of the expandable member.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the helically-oriented ground electrode is formed from a single conductive wire extending along the full length of the expandable member.

A method for ablating renal nerves is disclosed. The method includes advancing a renal nerve ablation device through a blood vessel to a position within a renal artery. The renal nerve ablation device includes an elongate tubular member having a distal region, an expandable member coupled to the distal region, the expandable member having a length, one or more active electrodes coupled to the expandable member, one or more ground electrodes coupled to the expandable member adjacent to the one or more active electrodes, and one or more temperature sensors disposed on an outer surface of the expandable member adjacent the one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes. The one or more active electrodes and the one or more ground electrodes are oriented helically about the expandable member. The method also includes advancing a renal nerve ablation device through a blood vessel to a position within a renal artery, expanding the expandable member, and activating at least one of the one or more active electrodes.

A renal nerve ablation device is disclosed. The renal nerve ablation device include an elongate tubular member having a distal region. An expandable balloon is coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length. A single helically-oriented active electrode is coupled to the balloon. A single helically-oriented ground electrode is coupled to the balloon. At least one of the active electrode and the ground electrode include insulation disposed over at least a portion of its respective electrode so as to form a plurality of discrete electrodes capable of forming a plurality of discrete lesions at a target site. One or more temperature sensors are disposed on an outer surface of the balloon between the helically-oriented active electrode and the helically-oriented ground electrode.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the single active electrode includes insulation disposed over a portion of its length to define a plurality of discrete active electrode regions.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, the single ground electrode includes insulation disposed over a portion of its length to define a plurality of discrete ground electrode regions.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the one or more active electrodes is disposed within the plurality of groove.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the one or more ground electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the one or more active electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves and wherein at least one of the one or more ground electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves.

Alternatively or additionally to any of the embodiments above, a plurality of grooves is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the plurality of grooves.

It should be understood that this disclosure is, in many respects, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of steps without exceeding the scope of the disclosure. This may include, to the extent that it is appropriate, the use of any of the features of one example embodiment being used in other embodiments. The invention's scope is, of course, defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An ablation device, comprising: an elongate tubular member having a distal region; an expandable member coupled to the distal region, the expandable member having a length; a plurality of active electrodes coupled to the expandable member; a plurality of ground electrodes coupled to the expandable member adjacent to the plurality of active electrodes, the plurality of active electrodes and the plurality of ground electrodes forming a plurality of bipolar electrode pairs; and a plurality of temperature sensor assemblies disposed on an outer surface of the expandable member each comprising a temperature sensor, a sensor power pad and a sensor ground pad, and an insulating layer disposed over the sensor power pad and the sensor ground pad, where the sensor power pad and sensor ground pad are disposed at least partially between the insulating layer and the temperature sensor; wherein one of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned between electrodes that form each of the bipolar electrode pairs; and wherein the plurality of active electrodes and the plurality of ground electrodes are oriented helically about the expandable member.
 2. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ground electrodes is oriented parallel to the plurality of active electrodes.
 3. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the plurality of ground electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.
 4. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein a plane disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of the expandable member intersects the plurality of active electrodes only at a single location along the length of the expandable member.
 5. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein the expandable member includes a plurality of struts.
 6. The ablation device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of active electrodes are disposed along the struts.
 7. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein the expandable member includes an expandable basket.
 8. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein the expandable member includes a balloon.
 9. The ablation device of claim 8, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the groove.
 10. The ablation device of claim 8, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.
 11. The ablation device of claim 8, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the groove and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.
 12. An ablation device, comprising: an elongate tubular member having a distal region; an expandable balloon coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length; a plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes coupled to the balloon; a plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes coupled to the balloon adjacent to the plurality of active electrodes; and a plurality of temperature sensor assemblies disposed on an outer surface of the balloon each comprising a temperature sensor, a sensor power pad, a sensor ground pad, and an insulating layer disposed over the sensor power pad and the sensor ground pad, where the sensor power pad and sensor ground pad are disposed at least partially between the insulating layer and the temperature sensor; the plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes and the plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes forming a plurality of bipolar electrode pairs; and wherein one of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned between electrodes that form each of the bipolar electrode pairs.
 13. The ablation device of claim 12, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the groove.
 14. The ablation device of claim 12, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.
 15. The ablation device of claim 12, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon, wherein at least one of the plurality of active electrodes is disposed within the groove, and wherein at least one of the plurality of ground electrodes is disposed within the groove.
 16. The ablation device of claim 12, comprising one or more discrete areas of insulating material that create multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface forming said plurality of active electrodes.
 17. The ablation device of claim 12, comprising one or more discrete areas of insulating material that create multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface forming said plurality of ground electrodes.
 18. The ablation device of claim 12, comprising one or more discrete areas of insulating material that create multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface forming said plurality of active electrodes and multiple discrete lengths of exposed electrode surface forming said plurality of ground electrodes.
 19. An ablation device, comprising: an elongate tubular member having a distal region; an expandable balloon coupled to the distal region, the expandable balloon having a length; and a flexible polymer strip coupled to the balloon; wherein the flexible polymer strip includes: a plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes on a surface of the flexible polymer strip facing away from the balloon; a plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes disposed adjacent the active electrode on the surface of the flexible polymer strip facing away from the balloon; and a plurality of temperature sensor assemblies disposed on a surface of the flexible polymer strip facing toward the balloon each comprising a temperature sensor, a sensor power pad, a sensor ground pad, and an insulating layer disposed over the sensor power pad and the sensor ground pad, where the sensor power pad and sensor ground pad are disposed at least partially between the insulating layer and the temperature sensor; wherein the plurality of helically-oriented active electrodes and the plurality of helically-oriented ground electrodes form a plurality of bipolar electrode pairs; and wherein one of the plurality of temperature sensors is positioned between electrodes that form each of the bipolar electrode pairs.
 20. The ablation device of claim 19, wherein a groove is formed along an outer surface of the balloon and wherein the flexible polymer strip is disposed within the groove. 